Newbie 80 gal reverse flow build

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Ok, for here go nothing.. With you guys help I decided to go with the 80 gal tank.
I probably jumped the gun a little by cutting the door first. I couldn't stand, I had to cut something or else I wasn't going to sleep.
Here's were I'm at so far.
I got the door cut and the hinges on, and also cut off the legs and compressor mount.
I'm ready to cut the firebox opening.
Pit calculator says 54 sq in opening to cc. If I laid this out correctly I should come up 6" to make my horizontal cut on the tank, do that sound correct for a 24 diameter tank?
Thanks guys

I'm showing that 6" yields 88 sq-in, but that will allow you to put in a baffle plate with 1" gap and still keep you over the required 54 sq-in opening area. Double check this calculation, I'm still getting my morning coffee!

I may be reading your graph incorrectly, but it looks like you counted up 5" and not the 6" you posted above. That could account for the difference I saw with I plugged the numbers into the calculator.

Yeah I believe your right.. So going 6" up and using the drop as an adjustable damper, is that the right way to do it?
If I go up 6 that will put my lower cooking grate about 6" above the reverse flow plate. Will that be okay?
Thanks for the help

Take a look at Rib's excellent post on reverse flow. A baffle plate located at A in the picture is what I was talking about. It will help to even out the heat on the fire box end of the cook chamber by keeping the worst of the heat from hitting the RF plate. You should be fine with 6" above the RF plate putting your racks on the CC center line.

Got some done after work on the smoker. With steel i had my firebox worked out to be 21x23x14. I tacked 4 sides together, seems kinda long .My cut in the cc is 21 wide .i had plate that was 23 so i just went with it.

I was wanting to put my door to the firebox on the same side as the door to the cc. I noticed most people put them on the end, does it matter?

Ok, will do. It's just hanging there. I was hoping someone would say something.. That was fast. Lol
It looked funny to me. Just wasn't sure.. Would have rather had the box more semectrical, but this is a buget build. Just trying to use what I have to work the best

No, I think the firebox will look good, you just need to stand it up. Most people make the firebox too short and the fire can't breath good, ..you stand that thing up and it's going to be just about perfect. I get what your saying about wanting the door to be to the front, but I think it's going to be too narrow for that. I'd just go ahead and put it to the end.

Got a little done this weekend, starting to look like something. Firebox about done, did a burnout. Now i need to get the reverse flow plate in and a drain. Hopefully it want be long before I can do a trail run.

With some help of some friends i got a lot done on the smoker this weekend. Scored an exhaust pipe from the scrapyard for free. I robbed the axle and tires off a junk mortar mixer for free, turned out to be a good width. Had the wire mesh in the shop, not expanded metal, but i kinda like it better. Its different.